8 Days Best of Congo Safari

8 Days Best of Congo Safari with Primates and Nyiragongo Hike

8 days Congo Safari with Primates and Nyiragongo Hike

8 days Congo safari with primates and Nyiragongo Hike: This 8 days Congo safari combines both Eastern Lowland gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Beiga national park, Mountain gorilla trekking in Virunga national park and Mount Nyiragongo hiking safari in Virunga national park starting and ending in Kigali Rwanda.

Highlights of 8 days Congo safari with primates and Nyiragongo Hike

  • Day 1: Transfer from Kigali to Bukavu
  • Day 2: Eastern Lowland gorilla trekking
  • Day 3: Boat transfer from Bukavu to Goma
  • Day 4: 1st Mountain gorilla trek
  • Day 5: 2nd Mountain gorilla trek
  • Day 6: Chimpanzee trekking
  • Day 7: Hike Mount Nyiragongo
  • Day 8: Descend Mount Nyiragongo and connect to Goma

Detailed Safari Itinerary

Day 1: Transfer from Kigali to Bukavu

  • Transfer from Kigali to Bukavu: On day 1 of 8 days Congo safari with primates and Nyiragongo hike, you will be picked up from an earlier communicated pickup location in Kigali where you spent overnight and start a 7-8 hours’ drive to Bukavu the nearest town to Kahuzi Beiga national park with an enroute lunch. Upon arrival in Bukavu, you will check-in at your reserved hotel, have dinner and overnight.
  • Meal plan: Lunch and Dinner
  • Accommodation: Hotel Elizabeth/ Panorama hotel/Orchids hotel

Day 2: Eastern Lowland Gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Beiga national park

  • Gorilla trekking: After breakfast at your lodge on day 2 of 8 days Congo safari with primates and Nyiragongo hike, pack enough drinking water and some snacks then meet your safari driver for a transfer to the park headquarters of Kahuzi Beiga national park for a pre gorilla briefing. Start the journey in the jungle together with armed rangers and local tour guides in search of habituated gorillas. This will take you about 30 minutes to 5 hours and allows only one hour with gorillas. After spending an hour with these eastern lowland gorillas, trek back to the park headquarters where you will be picked by your safari driver and returned to the lodge for a relaxed evening.
  • Meal plan: Breakfast, packed lunch and Dinner 
  • Accommodation: Hotel Elizabeth / Panorama hotel/ Orchid hotel

Day 3: Boat transfer from Bukavu to Goma

  • Boat transfer to Goma: After breakfast on day 3 of 8 days Congo safari with primates and Nyiragongo Hike, check out of the lodge and meet your safari driver for a drive to Bukavu port ready to catch a speed boat and sail on Lake Kivu as you head to the opposite side of the lake in Goma. Lake Kivu has stunning attractions ranging from beautiful flora along the shores and the islands without forgetting the view of Mount Nyiragongo in Virunga massif. Upon arrival in Goma, you will be cleared at Grande Barrier border point, have your lunch and finally join the rest of tourists for a transfer to Rumangabo where you will check in at the Mikeno lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
  • Note: at this point, you will join the Mikeno package which is always available on Monday and on Wednesday.
  • Meal plan: breakfast, lunch and dinner
  • Accommodation: Mikeno Lodge

Day 4: 1st Mountain gorilla trek in Virunga national park

  • 1st Gorilla trek in Virunga national park: After breakfast on day 4 of 8 days Congo safari with primates and Nyiragongo hike, meet your safari guide for a transfer to Bukima police posit where a briefing about gorilla trekking is conducted. After briefing, you will penetrate into the forest to start the adventure of searching the endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitats. The trek will take you about 2 hours to 5 hours or even more depending on the movement of gorillas since mountain gorillas prefer to reside in places with high altitudes. Spend one hour watching the gorillas and later on trek back to Bukima police post to meet your driver for a transfer back to your lodge for dinner and overnight. On this day, there is an option of evening community visit or a guided walk.
  • Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and Dinner
  • Accommodation:  Bukima tented camp

Day 5: 2nd Mountain gorilla trek in Virunga national park

  • 2nd Gorilla trek in virunga national park: As soon as you are done with breakfast on day 5 of 8 days Congo safari with primates and Nyiragongo hike, meet your driver again and be driven back to Bukima police post for another briefing. On this day, request for a different gorilla family for trekking. After trekking gorillas, you will be returned to your lodge for a lunch break then head to Mikeno lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
  • Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner
  • Accommodation: Mikeno lodge

Day 6: Chimpanzee trekking in Virunga national park

  • Chimpanzee trekking in Virunga national park: Wake up for a cup of coffee in the morning on day 6 of 8 days Congo safari with primates and Nyiragongo hike then be transferred to Mahura forest as early as 6:00am where you will watch the chimpanzees that are being habituated for trekking. Spend some time viewing these chimpanzees and later on trek back to your hotel for a relaxed evening warming up for Nyiragongo hike the next day.
  • Meal plan: breakfast, lunch and dinner
  • Accommodation: Mikeno lodge

Day 7: Hike Mount Nyiragongo (Ascend)

  • Mount Nyiragongo hike (ascend): Arise in the morning on day 7 of 8 days Congo safari with primates and Nyiragongo hike, have your breakfast, pack your snacks and drinking water and be transferred to the Kibati ranger post which is the trailhead for all Nyiragongo hiking adventures. You will be briefed about mount Nyiragongo and at 10:00 am, start the ascending for about 6 hours to summit the active volcanoes with a lave lake at the top. Spend an overnight at the summit watching the Lava Lake.
  • Meal Plan: Breakfast at the lodge, lunch and dinner at the summit.
  • Accommodation: Tent at the summit of mount Nyiragongo/ camping
Mount Nyiragongo hike
Mount Nyiragongo hike

Day 8: Descend Mount Nyiragongo and connect to Goma

  • Descend Mount Nyiragongo and departures: Wake up with a stunning view of the lava lake and the neighboring volcanoes in Virunga massif at the summit of Mount Nyiragongo on this last day of 8 days Congo safari with primates and Nyiragongo Hike. Then pack all your belongings in preparation to start descending back to Kibati where you will then be driven by convoy to Goma and be driven to Kigali at your preferred hotel or to Kigali international airport for departures.
  • Meal plan: Breakfast at the summit and lunch in either Goma or Kigali

END OF 8 DAYS CONGO SAFARI WITH PRIMATES AND NYIRAGONGO HIKE

8 days Congo safari with primates and Nyiragongo hike includes;

  • A 4X4 safari vehicle for ground transportation
  • Congo tourist visa (Upon request)
  • Lowland gorilla trekking permit
  • 2 mountain gorilla trekking permits
  • Chimpanzee trekking permit 
  • Mount Nyiragongo permit
  • Ranger fees
  • An English speaking guide
  • All meals as mentioned in itinerary 
  • Accommodation as mentioned in itinerary
  • Enough drinking water throughout the safari

8 days Congo safari with primates and Nyiragongo hike excludes;

  • All international travel expenses such as Visa  and ticket
  • Porter fee 
  • Laundry fees
  • Life Insurance 
  • All activities excluded on the Itinerary 
  • Alcoholic drinks and juices 
  • Phone expenses such as emails, airtime
  • Souvenirs 
  • Tips to the porter/ guide
book a trip